Jake Virtanen
| birth_place = New Westminster, British Columbia, Canada | draft = 6th overall | draft_team = Vancouver Canucks | draft_year = 2014 | career_start = 2015 | career_end = }} Jake Virtanen (born on August 17, 1996) is a Canadian professional ice hockey player who currently plays for the Vancouver Canucks in the National Hockey League (NHL). He was drafted by the Canucks sixth overall in the 2014 NHL Entry Draft. Playing Career Minor Playing Career As a member of the Abbotsford Hawks at the bantam level in 2010–11, Jake scored 68 goals and 117 points in 59 games. As a 15-year-old, he spent most of the 2011–12 season in midget hockey with the Fraser Valley Bruins where he scored 39 points in 39 games and recorded 120 penalty minutes. Junior Playing Career The Western Hockey League (WHL)'s Calgary Hitmen selected Jake with the first overall pick at the 2011 WHL Bantam Draft. He appeared in nine games for the Hitmen during the 2011-12 season, and was a regular for Calgary in 2012–13. Jake scored 16 goals and 34 points in 62 games and began to establish himself as a highly ranked prospect for the 2014 National Hockey League (NHL) Entry Draft. Returning to Calgary for his second full junior season, Jake nearly tripled his goal scoring total from the previous season and finished with 45 on the year. He added 26 assists to finish with 71 points. The NHL Central Scouting Bureau ranked Jake as the ninth best North American skater for the 2014 draft at its midseason ranking and he played in the CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game. He moved up three spots in NHL Central Scouting's year-end ranking and entered the draft ranked sixth among North American skaters. The Hockey News projected he to be a "pure goal scorer" in the NHL and ranked him 11th overall in its draft preview. The magazine praised both Jake's physical ability and the quality shot but adds that he is not known as a playmaker and that his "hockey sense" requires development. He had shoulder surgery in May 2014 that was expected to sideline him until December 2014. Professional Playing Career Jake was selected 6th overall in the 2014 NHL Entry Draft by the Vancouver Canucks. He was the first British Columbia born player selected in the first round by the Canucks since Cam Neely in 1983. On July 25, 2014, Jake announced that he had signed an entry level contract with the Canucks. On May 5, 2015, he was assigned from Vancouver to the AHL's Utica Comets. In Game 6 of the Western Conference Semi-Finals, on May 18, 2015, Jake made his professional debut. He recorded two shots on goal in that game, in a 2-1 loss to the Oklahoma City Barons. On May 28, 2015, against the Grand Rapids Griffins in Game 3 of the Western Conference Finals, he passed the puck to teammate Sven Baertschi, earning an assist, which would be his first career point. On October 5, 2015, Jake was named to the Canucks' roster for the start of the 2015-16 NHL season. He made his NHL debut on October 13, 2015 in a 3-0 win over the Los Angeles Kings. His got his first NHL point, an assist, on a Derek Dorsett goal in a 5-1 win against the Montreal Canadiens. On November 1, 2015, it was announced that Jake and fellow rookie Jared McCann had made the Canucks team; past their 9 game tryout period. A day later, on November 2, 2015, he scored his first NHL goal against goaltender Steve Mason and the Philadelphia Flyers at Rogers Arena in Vancouver. After 4 points in 15 games, Jake's first NHL season was interrupted with an injury in December. After returning from injury, he was loaned to Team Canada for the 2016 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships and returned to the NHL afterwards. Career Statistics Regular season and playoffs International International Play }} Making his first appearance with the Canadian national team prior to the 2013–14 season, Jake joined the Under-18 squad for the 2012 Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament. Playing in a grinding role, he recorded one assist in five games as Canada won its sixth consecutive gold medal at the event which culminated with a 4–0 victory over the United States. A first round exit from the WHL playoffs by Calgary allowed Jake to make a second appearance with the national team as he played in the 2014 IIHF World U18 Championships. He tied for the team lead in scoring with six points to help lead the Canadians to a bronze medal at the event. At the 2016 IIHF World Junior Championships held in Helsinki, Jake had one assist in 5 games, and led the Canadian team in penalty minutes at 10. Canada was eliminated by the host Finland in the quarterfinal. Personal Life Jake spent his first 12 years living in Langley, British Columbia, before settling in nearby Abbotsford. He attended Yale Secondary School, in Abbotsford as well as the Yale Hockey Academy. Jake played minor hockey in Abbotsford. His father, Rainer, is originally from Finland. He acquired jus sanguinis Finnish citizenship through his father. Category:Vancouver Canucks draft picks Category:Vancouver Canucks players Category:Canadian ice hockey players Category:1996 births Category:Calgary Hitmen players Category:Utica Comets players